For generations, women have had little hope of thriving within the deeply patriarchal networks in the business world. Businessmen have cross-pollinated social activities with professional networking; sporting events, bars, and nightclubs are notorious settings for business deals.
It’s hard to believe that in 2020, we’re still a long way away from gender parity in almost every industry in the US. But when I look at the power of networks in business, it’s unfortunately not surprising. We’ve been conditioned to think about social activities along gender stereotypes, thus creating gender gaps in our networks.
Most male-dominated networks don’t encourage displays of vulnerability, instead hailing the person who appears to be succeeding in all areas of life as the ideal. But new women’s groups are creating places for females in business to be vulnerable, introducing an ethos for a different kind of community where women connect and support one another on multiple levels.
So, what kind of impact can we hope these new kinds of female networks have? I hope we see more funding at the macro level, and more sub-groups within each network to foster intimate, safe spaces for women to truly support and connect with one another.